Highlights: Developments
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Highlights: High-level statements: • The Bangladesh Foreign Minister has called for other countries to take in Rohingya, and has said that any Rohingya arriving in Bangladesh will now be sent to Bhasan Char island. • The UNHCR, IOM, and UNODC have issued a joint statement on Protection at Sea in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea. • Six top members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives have urged the Bangladesh government to lift the restrictions on internet use in the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar. Access to territory: • Two groups of Rohingya from boats floating off the coast of Bangladesh were sent to Bhasan Char island this week to be quarantined as a precaution against the coronavirus, according to the government. A first group of approximately 28 were sent to the island on May 2, and then another group of approximately 280 were sent to the island on May 8. • There has been continued outcry from the UN, the international community, and NGOs about pushbacks and denial of access to territory for Rohingya stranded in boats in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea. As the government has accepted Rohingya onto Bhasan Char Island, that outcry has shifted to speak out against confining Rohingya to that island. Developments: Turkey to raise Rohingya issue at UNSC Dhaka Tribune (May 9) Turkey has assured Bangladesh that it will raise the Rohingya issue at the next meeting of the UN Security Council, as the Rohingya refugee crisis remains unresolved and is putting a significant burden on the host country. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu gave the assurance during a telephone conversation with Bangladesh counterpart Dr AK Abdul Momen. The Turkish Foreign Minister also assured Bangladesh of extending all required support to repatriate the Rohingyas who are currently living in Cox's Bazar district of Bangladesh to their place of origin in Rakhine State. Similar: ‘Turkey to take Rohingya issue to UNSC’ Prothom Alo (May 9) Turkey to take Rohingya issue to UNSC United News Bangladesh (May 10) COVID-19 Challenges: ICRC steps up support beyond Rohingya camps United News Bangladesh (May 9) The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has stepped up its support to Bangladesh going beyond Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar to help address the challenges amid coronavirus pandemic and the growing needs at the national level, says its Bangladesh chief. The ICRC is extending support at the national level with a "very strong focus" on medical facilities and food supply. Two Rohingya drug dealers killed in ‘gunfight’ Dhaka Tribune (May 9) Two suspected Rohingya drug dealers were killed in a reported gunfight with police in Teknaf of Cox's Bazar on May 9. The identities of the deceased are yet to be ascertained. Similar: Two Rohingya yaba traders killed in Cox’s Bazar gunfight: Police The Daily Star (May 9) Call to save refugees stranded at sea New Age Bangladesh (May 9) Eighteen humanitarian agencies have urged the countries on the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea to conduct search and rescue operations to save the lives of refugees and asylum seekers stranded at sea. The organisations also called on the countries to allow the stranded people to disembark on their shores and provide necessary help. In a joint press statement, they urged the states to take urgent collective solutions to address the issue and better share responsibility for hosting refugees. The organisations involved are: Action Contre la Faim, Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network, Asian Dignity Initiative, CARE, ChildFund International, COAST Trust, Danish Refugee Council, Humanity and Inclusion, ISDE Bangladesh, Medecins du Monde France, Medecins du Monde Switzerland, Mukti Cox’s Bazar, Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam, PHALS, Plan International, Save the Children, and Solidarites International. Similar: Humanitarian agencies: Save those stranded in the Bay of Bengal Dhaka Tribune (May 8) Save stranded people in Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea: Rights bodies Prothom Alo (May 8) Top US lawmakers write to life internet restrictions in Rohingya camps Dhaka Tribune (May 8) Top members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives have urged the Bangladesh government to lift the restrictions on internet use in the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar, underscoring the critical role of communications technology as a public health tool to combat the spread of Covid-19. In a recent letter to Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, the US lawmakers emphasized that technologies like mobile phones and internet are necessary for sharing life-saving medical information, conducting contact tracing, and facilitating health and humanitarian services. The letter was signed by six senators and representatives. In reply, the foreign minister said the restrictions were in place for the safety and security of the Rohingyas as well as Bangladeshis. Military says ARSA preparing big attack in Rakhine Myanmar Times (May 8) The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) is moving provisions near the Myanmar-Bangladesh border in what appears to be preparations for a big attack, a Myanmar military spokesperson has said. Major General Zaw Min Tun, a senior member of the Tatmadaw’s (military’s) True News agency, said security forces had seized food suspected to have been stashed by ARSA near Kha Maung Seik village in Maungdaw township in Rakhine State on May 6. Maj Gen Zaw Min Tun said ARSA might be planning another big attack to distract attention from the report that Myanmar will submit to the International Court of Justice this month. Similar: Curious revival of Myanmar’s rag-tag Rohingya rebels Asia Times (May 5) Bangladesh quarantines hundreds of Rohingya boat people on Bhasan Char BDNews24 (May 8) The Bangladesh navy has rescued around 280 Rohingya Muslims from the Bay of Bengal, towing their stranded boat to Bhasan Char island, where they will be quarantined as a precaution against the coronavirus, coast guard and naval officials have said. Back in February, Bangladesh appeared to be backing off plans to settle Rohingya refugees on Bhasan Char, having come under fierce criticism from the United Nations and aid agencies. But the subsequent coronavirus scare appears to have persuaded Bangladesh authorities to at least use the facilities on the island for quarantining rescued Rohingya boat people. Last weekend, 29 Rohingya found on another vessel adrift at sea were also taken to the island, which now has electric lighting and cell phone towers. Similar: Rohingya refugees arrive at ‘de facto detention island’ in Bangladesh The Guardian (May 8) Around 280 Rohingyas quarantined on Bay of Bengal island: Official United News of India (May 8) More than 250 Rohingya refugees land in Bangladesh after weeks at sea The Globe and Mail (May 8) Bangladesh quarantines hundreds of Rohingya rescued from sea AlJazeera (May 8) Bangladesh ferries more Rohingya refugees to remote island The Sentinel (May 9) Bangladesh quarantines hundreds of Rohingya boat people on island: Officials Reuters (May 8) Rohingya stranded on boat for weeks taken to Bangladesh island Times of India (May 7) Bangladesh: All Rohingya Found at Sea Will Be Taken to Bhashan Char Island Radio Free Asia (May 7) After insisting for weeks that it would not help Rohingya refugees stranded at sea, Bangladesh authorities have relented and towed a boat packed with people to a flood-prone island, saying all refugees found at sea would be taken to the controversial site from now on. Authorities believe the wooden boat, which was carrying 279 men, women and children, was one of at least two cramped trawlers reportedly adrift at sea after not being allowed to land in Malaysia or Bangladesh. A naval boat spotted the fishing trawler adrift in Bangladesh’s territorial waters, officials said. ‘Drug trader’ killed in Cox’s Bazar ‘gunfight’ United News Bangladesh (May 7) A suspected Rohingya drug trader was killed in a reported gunfight with members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at Palongkhali in Ukhiya upazila early May7. The identity of the deceased could not be known immediately. Similar: Rohingya ‘drug peddler’ killed in Ukhiya ‘gunfight’ New Age Bangladesh (May 7) Rohingya drug trader killed in ‘gunfight’ Dhaka Tribune (May 7) Rohingya man killed in gunfight: BGB Prothom Alo (May 7) Let Other Countries Take Rohingya, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Says Benar News (May 6) Bangladesh will not accept any more Rohingya refugees, the foreign minister has said, despite pleadings from international agencies who expressed concerns about the lives of hundreds of refugees stranded on at least two trawlers reportedly adrift in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea. The refugees on the wooden boats were aiming to reach Malaysia, but the Southeast Asian nation and neighboring countries had tightened borders to curtail the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. “We don’t have any information that more boats are floating within Bangladesh territory. We don’t even know that,” Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen said. “But we won’t take any more Rohingyas. Let other countries take them.” Momen said, reacting to a joint statement released hours earlier by three United Nations agencies. They warned that the refusal of countries in the region to let the boats land could bring about a repeat of a mass migration by sea that took place in the region five years ago. Rohingya camps: Steps successful so far in stopping coronavirus Dhaka Tribune (May 6) While the country has crossed a grim milestone of 10,000 coronavirus infections, there are so far no confirmed cases of the deadly virus in the densely-populated Rohingya camps that have been and still are considered one of the most vulnerable places to the ongoing pandemic. Undoubtedly, preventing the virus so far from entering the camps can be called a success given the congested and unhygienic conditions nearly a million residents live in.